National Minimum Wage impact survey launched

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called for evidence from retailers on the impact of increases in National Minimum Wage (NMW).

The ACS National Minimum Wage Survey assesses the impact of past rises on job creation, staff hours, business investment and how retailers would benefit from greater certainty around the setting of the NMW.

The findings will be the centre piece of the ACS submission to the Low Pay Commission later this year. Its submission will also focus on providing businesses with greater certainty on future minimum wage rates.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said that rising minimum wage rates will result in further unemployment.

“Employment costs are the biggest outgoing for convenience store retailers and unpredictable minimum wage increases at a time when the other costs of running a business are skyrocketing will only lead to more staff being laid off,” he said.

Lowman added that retailers need to highlight the impact of an increase in the minimum wage. “The most effective way of influencing the Low Pay Commission is to give them the facts about how retailers react to change in the minimum wage, and this survey is extremely important in making sure retailers get their voices heard.”

Retailers can contribute to the survey here. Deadline for submissions is August 19.

No comments yet

Have your say

Only registered users can comment on this article.

More Advice

All eyes are on Scotland as the first UK nation to have adopted Minimum Unit Pricing on alcohol. The jury was out ahead of its introduction in May. Now, several months on, the verdict from retailers is in: it’s been good for business.